Common Sense Media Review
Um, no surprises here. Better than the original.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
What's the Story?
Wilma (Kristen Johnston (Third Rock from the Sun) is the pampered daughter of the snobbish Pearl Slaghoople (Joan Collins) and the loving but addled Colonel (Harvey Korman). She has no interest in a life of country clubs and snobs. She runs away and is befriended by waitress Betty O'Shale (Jane Krakowski of Ally McBeal). They meet Fred (Mark Addy, from The Full Monty) and Barney (Stephen Baldwin, from The Usual Suspects) and all goes well until Chip Rockefeller (Dharma & Greg's Thomas Gibson), who is after Wilma's fortune, invites them to his new resort in Rock Vegas. But all ends well, and we even get to see the origins of Wilma's upswept hairstyle and pearls.
Is It Any Good?
FLINTSTONES IN VIVA LAS VEGAS is better than the original 1994 Flintstones movie. This prequel benefits from lower expectations (it was originally intended as a straight-to-video release) and improved technology (the CGI dinosaurs are terrific). OK, it begins with a fart joke (the guilty party -- a dinosaur -- says, "Hey, I got three stomachs, cut me some slack!"). And the rest of the humor is only slightly more elevated; some of its jokes are older than the Stone Age. But it's not too bad. There are even a couple of genuinely funny moments, and it can provide for moderately enjoyable family entertainment or a first-class birthday party for anyone in the 5- to 8-year-old range.
Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin play Fred and Barney as though they're really enjoying it. The wonderfully talented Kristen Johnston is sadly underused as Wilma, but she looks sensational in her "Isaac Miz-rock-hi" animal skins. The highlight of the movie is Alan Cummings. He plays both Gazoo, the space alien who comes to earth to observe human mating rituals, and Mick Jagged, the (what else) rock star, frontman for (what else) the Stones. It's a real pity that he plays only two roles -- the movie fades whenever he's offscreen. In the soundtrack's highlight, Ann-Margret simultaneously salutes two of her career highlights -- the original Flintstones cartoon (as "Ann Margrock") and the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas (in which she co-starred with Elvis Presley) with a terrific rendition of the song "Viva Rock Vegas."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this prequel compares with the first Flintstones live-action movie. Is it as funny? Is it better?
Which do you like better, the old Flintstones cartoons or the live action Flintstones movies?
Why are live-action movies based on cartoon series so popular? What other cartoons have been made into nonanimated feature films?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 28, 2000
- On DVD or streaming : September 26, 2000
- Cast : Kristen Johnston , Mark Addy , Stephen Baldwin
- Director : Brian Levant
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : innuendo and brief language
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate